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Think About It,

Write About it!

MSU-CELC PRACTICE Test of English

Writing Ability

INSTRUCTIONS:

For this section of the test, a proctor will give you a special answer form. Make sure that your name

appears correctly on the front of the form.

Using a Number 2 pencil ONLY, write as much as you can, as well as you can, in an original, 35-

minute composition on ONE of the two topics below.

1. Some people say that the voting age should be raised to 21. They claim that such a change

would create more informed and mature voters. Other people claim that such a law would

limit personal freedom. What is your opinion? Support your opinion with reasons and

examples.

OR

2. You and your friend have gone shopping. As you are walking around a department store,

you notice a schoolmate stuffing a piece of clothing into a large bag. How do you handle the

situation? Do you report it to the store security, or ignore the situation? Support your

opinion with reasons and examples.

DO NOT TURN THE PAGE UNTIL

YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO

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LISTENING TEST LISTENING TEST LISTENING TEST

Part 1: Short Conversations

For each question in your test booklet, you will hear a short conversation. The conversation has a

short title to tell you what it is about. Listen to the conversation and choose the letter of the choice

that best answers the question that appears in your test booklet. You will not hear the question;

you will see it and read it. You will read it quietly to yourself. Use your pencil to mark your

answer on your answer sheet. You are allowed to take notes in the test booklet.

Organic vegetables

1. Where did the woman get the

vegetables?

a. from a neighborhood store.

b. from a neighbor’s garden.

c. She has planted a vegetable patch.

Chinese holiday

2. What did she enjoy most from her trip?

a. the Great Wall of China

b. the lovely buildings

c. the presentation of various dishes

Teacher’s advice

3. What will the girl probably do now?

a. Go in for tutoring.

b. Keep things as they are for the time

being.

c. Accept the teacher’s advice.

Help needed

4. Why is he skeptical about moving the

desk?

a. He thinks the view won’t allow her

to work.

b. His attention is elsewhere.

c. It’s too heavy.

Needing exercise

5. What is the woman complaining about?

a. She can’t find her bike.

b. He wants to join an exercise class.

c. She has gained weight.

A barbeque

6. What does the woman want to do?

a. Have a barbeque for everyone.

b. She wants to bring something.

c. She wants everyone to help her.

Noisy neighbors

7. What does the woman tell him to do?

a. Confront his neighbors.

b. Call the police.

c. Turn the music down.

Bad weather

8. What is the woman’s problem?

a. She has a test to study for.

b. The weather is going to be bad.

c. She’s too far behind to catch up.

GRAMMAR TEST GRAMMAR TEST GRAMMAR TEST

41. I’m tired ______ twelve hour days and I

want to go on vacation.

a. of work

b. to work

c. of working

d. for working

42. I didn’t know the children could be so well

______.

a. behaving

b. behavior

c. behaviorable

d. behaved

43. I wish I ______ you would be coming back

so soon.

a. had known

b. would know

c. will know

d. knew

44. Henry is upset because he ______ for over

an hour before the doctor finally examined

him.

a. is waiting

b. waits

c. has been waited

d. had been waiting

45. The teacher insisted that he ______ in after

class to write the composition.

a. will stay

b. stayed

c. stay

d. stays

46. “Doesn’t Jane look lovely in her new

dress?”

“Yes, she ______.”

a. is looking

b. looks

c. does

d. does look

47. People today are ______ what is going on

in the world around them.

a. interested for

b. interesting in

c. interested

d. interested in

48. If you don’t put it in the refrigerator, it

______ bad.

a. goes

b. go

c. has gone

d. went

49. She’s sick again because she stopped

______ her medication.

a. to take

b. taking

c. the taking

d. taken

50. “Were you born here?”

“Yes I was. ______ in the same

neighborhood for 50 years.”

a. I was living

b. I’m living

c. I’ve lived

d. I’ve been lived

51. “It looks like it’s going to snow.”

“I don’t know ______ it’s going to snow or

rain.”

a. whether

b. unless

c. though

d. if or not

52. I’ve called ______ single person I know and

invited them to my Christmas party.

a. every

b. any

c. all

d. each one

53. Since you lost the book I lent you, I should

make you ______ me a new one.

a. to buy

b. having to buy

c. buying

d. buy

54. I saw a kitchen table I really liked but I can’t

remember where ______it.

a. did I see

b. I saw

c. I am seeing

d. I had seen

GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE

READING TEST READING TEST READING TEST

The History of the Doll

At the dentist’s, you see this article on dolls in a magazine. It catches your interest, so you read it.

After reading it, answer the questions that follow.

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The origins of the doll have been traced back by historians to religious rites of

primitive societies. Historians further speculate that as beliefs faded, the importance

of the doll decreased. As a result, the dolls were handed down to children as

toys. Evidence of the link between the doll and religious rites is supported by ancient

Greek literature, in which girls were observed making clothing for their dolls and

offering these valued playthings to the nymphs or to Artemis at the time of their

engagement for marriage. Also, the Hopi Indians who, at the conclusion of

ceremonial rites, gave the dolls to the children to play with, followed the same ritual.

The earliest samples of European dolls dates from the fourteenth century in

Nuremberg, Germany. These dolls were modeled after children, monks, and women,

dressed in the fashion of the time.

Listings of doll maker names in the city records of Nuremberg were dated as early as

the fifteenth century. During this period, doll makers were established in the city, and

regulated the types of dolls made and the methods of distribution of these dolls by

peddlers.

An actual specimen of a doll made in the 1500's was found in 1966 in a Rhenish

castle, giving us a glimpse of the period dolls of this time. This nine-inch doll is

carved from lime wood and decorated with colored paint. The doll wore a linen

dress. It can be noted that dolls dated in the 1500s bear testimony to the costume

period when compared to the paintings of this time.

Fashion dolls became popular around the 1300's. Court records noted events such as

the gifts of fashion dolls sent by the French queen to the queen of England in

1321. Another event that was noted was when Isabeau of Bavaria, queen of France,

sent dolls to England from France to show the newest French fashions in 1391. In

essence, the task of popularizing French fashions abroad was carried on by the doll.

To far-reaching colonies, such as North America, Parisian dolls were sent to illustrate

the current Parisian fashions and to serve as the dressmaker's model.

The custom of sending costume dolls to other countries remained popular until the

emergence of fashion magazines in the late 1700’s.

Again, fashion dolls were handed down to little girls to play with and become the

early ancestors of the present day Barbie Dolls.

GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE

READING TEST READING TEST READING TEST

90. What were fashion dolls?

a. Dolls that were fashionable at any

given time.

b. Dolls which served as dressmaker’s

models.

c. The descendants of fashion

magazines.

d. Barbie Dolls.

91. Where was a 16th

century doll found?

a. in a doll factory

b. in the Nuremberg city records

c. in a castle

d. in ancient Greek literature

92. What were the first dolls used for?

a. playthings

b. primitive religious ceremonies

c. fashion models

d. wedding gifts

93. Which of the following is closest in

meaning to regulated in line 14?

a. controlled

b. stimulated

c. enforced

d. introduced

94. What does the passage claim about Barbie

Dolls?

a. They are the descendants of fashion

dolls.

b. They are the ancestors of dolls used

in religious rites.

c. Girls make clothes for their Barbie

Dolls.

d. They are very popular.

95. According to the passage, what can be

learned from dolls?

a. how to make clothes

b. the costumes of the period

c. primitive religious rites

d. what people looked like

96. When did fashion dolls first become

popular?

a. around the 14th

century

b. in 1321

c. in 1391

d. in the 1700’s

97. Who was Isabeau?

a. the queen of Bavaria

b. the queen of France

c. the queen of England

d. the queen of Germany

98. Which of the following is closest in

meaning to specimen in line 16?

a. example

b. sample

c. ancestor

d. illustration

99. What were fashion dolls replaced by?

a. real models

b. Barbie Dolls

c. paintings

d. fashion magazines

GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE

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SPEAKING SPEAKING SPEAKING

TEST 1

Description

What was the best party/celebration you’ve ever been to?

What would you miss most about your town/city if you went away?

What is the best advice you ever got?

Narration

Talk about:

a time that your parents were thrilled by something you did.

the worst day of your life

a lie you told which backfired

Supported Opinion

What would happen if there were no computers? Would this be good or bad?

What would life be like without television? Would this be good or bad?

What do you think would be the perfect career for you? Why?